Chapter 379: One hit
At halftime, both the Real Madrid and Barcelona coaches were not entirely satisfied with the game's result. In the away team's dressing room, Guardiola frowned and said, "We had the upper hand in the first half, both in terms of shots and possession. Why couldn't we break through their defense?"
"Thierry, I want you to move more on the wings and support Messi to create more threats in attack." Henry nodded in agreement, although he didn't like playing on the wings, he was willing to sacrifice for the team.
"Samuel, you're a pivot up front. Try to consume Real Madrid's defensive focus as much as possible, creating tactical space for Río and Thierry." Eto'o indicated his understanding of the coach's instructions.
"Although Real Madrid's defense has improved significantly compared to last season, it's not impregnable. Let's continue to work hard in the second half and bring them a humiliating defeat!"
"Alright!"
Meanwhile, in the Real Madrid dressing room, Schuster felt that the defense allowed Barcelona too many attacking threats. "We can't just rely on their bad luck or Casillas' heroics. We must contain their attacks outside the penalty area."
"Raúl, Sergio, your defense can be more resolute. Disturb their rhythm and interrupt their attacks more, don't be afraid to commit fouls." Pepe and Ramos nodded in response.
"Wang, you performed well in the first half, but luck was not on our side. Continue to pressure Barcelona's defense in the second half. I believe the goddess of fate will be on our side."
"Come on everyone, win this game and welcome the arrival of Christmas!"
"Welcome back, dear audience. Now, we bring you the second half of the 17th round of La Liga, the Centennial Derby between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The game has just begun."
"In the first half, both sides provided many exciting moments, but unfortunately, no goals were scored. Who will break the deadlock in the second half?"
"Look at Messi's attack this time, beautiful! Pepe cleanly intercepted the ball, not giving the Argentine a chance to shine. It's clear that we can't let Messi control the ball for too long, or it will cause big trouble."
In the second half, Barcelona players found that Real Madrid's defense was even more determined, resulting in more physical contact and fouls. The referee's whistle sounded frequently, and Pepe even received a yellow card for it.
However, Barcelona's attack was indeed affected by this. Messi's lack of physical confrontation ability and experience made it difficult for the team to advance when he was restricted.
After solving the defensive problem, it was time for the offense. Wang Feng appeared very patient, constantly drawing the attention of two defensive players. He kept moving around, believing that opportunities would arise.
On the sidelines, Guardiola frowned and occasionally glanced at the electronic screen, which clearly showed that more than 60 minutes had passed.
Why was Wang Feng so energetic? After such a long and intense competition, both sides inevitably showed signs of fatigue, except for the Chinese superstar, who seemed full of vitality, shuttling between offense and defense.
Puyol almost failed to keep up with his rhythm several times. Guardiola was considering whether to replace him with a fresher defender to limit Wang Feng, but he was reluctant to substitute the Spanish captain, who had rich defensive experience.
Just as he hesitated, a dramatic change occurred on the field. Messi dribbled through the middle, but Pepe once again stood in his way. The Argentine seemed hesitant, so he passed the ball to Iniesta.
But Ashley Cole's quick interception disrupted the pass, and Ramos rushed out to make the steal.
Then he dribbled the ball into the opponent's half, initiating a quick counterattack. Wang Feng immediately reacted by sprinting forward at high speed, leaving Puyol far behind and only barely keeping up with Márquez, thanks to Wang Feng intentionally reducing his speed to avoid being offside.
After crossing the midfield, Ramos glanced at the situation ahead. Raúl was nearby, with his back to the goal, and Guti was on the other side, ready to receive the ball. Only Wang Feng ran deeper.
He quickly made a decision. Ramos sent a long pass directly behind Barcelona's defense, and at the moment Ramos released the ball, Wang Feng suddenly accelerated. The timing was perfect, and his strength instantly shook off Márquez, rendering his attempt to grab Wang Feng's jersey futile.
Successful offside trap! The ball drew a rainbow-like arc in the air, and Wang Feng accurately ran to the landing spot near the edge of the penalty area. Lifting his right foot, he calmly finished the shot without any mistake.
Barcelona's last hope of luck in defense was completely shattered. Goalkeeper Valdés decisively chose to rush towards Wang Feng, "Is he going to break to the right? Yes, definitely to the right!" He thought to himself as he dove to the right.
No! The Spanish goalkeeper realized in despair that it was a step-over dribble, the famous move of "the Alien" Ronaldo, but Wang Feng took it to another level. His body swayed even more, and the confusion was stronger!
After getting past the goalkeeper, Wang Feng didn't hesitate, calmly slotting the ball into the empty net, under the witness of tens of thousands of people.
"Goal! Goal! Goooooooooooooooooooal!"
"The game has reached the 72nd minute, the first goal finally arrives. Wang Feng tears apart Barcelona's defense with his sharp speed and magnificent step-over move, giving the Galaxy battleship the lead!"
"Whether it's breaking through the defense, stopping the ball at high speed, or finally dribbling past the goalkeeper, Wang Feng's handling in just a few moves demonstrates his superb skills."
"Ashley Cole and Ramos' joint defense also contributed to this goal, intercepting the attack while planning a quick counterattack, helping Wang Feng score!"
After scoring, Wang Feng didn't slow down, directly crossing the sideline and going to the stands, raising his arms in celebration, drawing everyone's admiration. Ramos, who came after him, jumped onto his back, "Haha, I knew you could do it! How was my pass!"
"Not just good, it was perfect!" Wang Feng smiled and replied. Other teammates surrounded them, excitedly patting their heads. This was a goal as precious as gold!
On the sidelines, Guardiola covered his head in anguish, kneeling on the ground. It was Wang Feng again who defeated Barcelona; he seemed to be the Catalan team's nemesis.
He hesitated for a while whether to substitute the exhausted Puyol. Wang Feng seized the opportunity to score. This made the Spanish coach very frustrated. If only he had made the decision earlier, it would be difficult to try to remedy the situation now.
As expected, even after replacing Puyol with the fresh Tura, they couldn't reverse the situation. Furthermore, Barcelona's attack became less smooth.
This was mainly due to the blow to morale caused by conceding a goal and Wang Feng's lightning-fast movements firmly imprinted in their opponents' minds. They didn't dare to go all out in attack, fearing they would leave gaps for him to exploit.
In the end, relying solely on Wang Feng's lone goal, the Galaxy battleship secured a 1-0 victory over Barcelona at home, winning this Christmas Eve Centennial Derby!
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